TURNED INTO ANOTHER MAN – LESSONS FROM SAUL

Pr. James Victor Lubwama

1 Samuel 10:6 (NKJV)

“Then the Spirit of the Lord will come upon you, and you will prophesy with them and be turned into another man” 

When the donkeys of Kish, the Benjamite got lost, God’s mission was to make a king.  Kish sent his son Saul and a servant on an assignment of looking for the donkeys that had gone missing (1 Samuel 9:3).

Consult and Seek Counsel

It was in the culture of Hebrews to seek counsel and inquire from servants of God whenever bad circumstances came their way; God was always their first priority in case of trouble. As a believer, where do you go or what do you do when something goes missing or wrong in your life? Some Christians just let go and give up yet God can intervene and give you a solution. We see Saul giving up after having looked in all surrounding areas. 1Samuel 9:4-5 (NIV) says;

“So he passed through the hill country of Ephraim and through the area around Shalisha, but they did not find them. They went on into the district of Shaalim, but the donkeys were not there. Then he passed through the territory of Benjamin, but they did not find them. 5 When they reached the district of Zuph, Saul said to the servant who was with him, “Come, let’s go back, or my father will stop thinking about the donkeys and start worrying about us.”

However, his servant was alert concerning the culture of inquiring from God, but Saul was concerned with an offering, because the principle was that when you're going to the house of God or to see a man of God, you had to carry an offering. 1 Samuel 9:6-8 (NLT)

“But the servant said, “I’ve just thought of something! There is a man of God who lives here in this town. He is held in high honor by all the people because everything he says comes true. Let’s go find him. Perhaps he can tell us which way to go.” 7 “But we don’t have anything to offer him,” Saul replied. “Even our food is gone, and we don’t have a thing to give him.” 8 “Well,” the servant said, “I have one small silver piece. We can at least offer it to the man of God and see what happens!”

All Things Work Together For Good

We see God using this unpleasant experience to make Saul have an encounter with Prophet Samuel which encounter would not only raise Saul to kingship but also change him into another man. God was working on both sides because He had already told Samuel that Saul would seek him out and that he should anoint him king over Israel. 1 Samuel 9:16 (GNT) says;

“Tomorrow about this time I will send you a man from the tribe of Benjamin; anoint him as ruler of my people Israel, and he will rescue them from the Philistines”

When Saul met Samuel, he told him that the donkeys had been found (1 Samuel 10:2); and Samuel did as the Lord had told him, anointed Saul and prophesied in 1 Samuel 10:5-6 (NKJV) that; 

“After that you shall come to the hill of God where the Philistine garrison is. And it will happen, when you have come there to the city that you will meet a group of prophets coming down from the high place with a stringed instrument, a tambourine, a flute, and a harp before them; and they will be prophesying. 6 Then the Spirit of the Lord will come upon you, and you will prophesy with them and be turned into another man” 

Spirit of God, Fresh Anointing

Not only was the office of kingship over Israel bestowed upon Saul, but also God turned Saul into another man and also gave him another heart. Saul was an ordinary man but after being anointed, he was transformed into another person. There is a great lesson here; you cannot change yourself, it takes the Holy Spirit. 1 Samuel 10:9-10 (NLT) says;

“As Saul turned and started to leave, God gave him a new heart, and all Samuel’s signs were fulfilled that day. 10 When Saul and his servant arrived at Gibeah, they saw a group of prophets coming toward them. Then the Spirit of God came powerfully upon Saul, and he, too, began to prophesy” 

It is very important to know that before you are transformed, you must encounter a commissioned servant of God, and when the Spirit of God comes upon you, He replaces the old nature with new (2 Corinthians 5:17). When Saul met with the prophets, he started speaking in tongues because the Spirit of the Lord was upon Him – the Spirit of God empowers and transforms (Acts 1:8; 2:4). Some people get saved and remain the same just because they have not been filled with the Holy Spirit.

If you want to be transformed into another person, then you must also change the set of friends you have. It is when Saul met a procession of prophets that were doing God’s will that the Spirit of the Lord came powerfully upon him and prophesied with them. Even people who formerly knew Saul, started marvelling at his new nature and actions (1 Samuel 10:11-12).

When you are anointed and filled with the Holy Spirit, you not only change your peers but also change the place where you dwell. We see that; “When he had finished prophesying, he went to the high place” - 1 Samuel 10:13. God will bless you and very soon you will change your position.

Sieve and Hold Your Peace

When God does miracles for you and big things manifest in your life, members of your family will ask you questions wanting to know what you did. They will even ask you questions concerning your faith and salvation life. We see Saul’s uncle asking him questions in 1 Samuel 10:14-16 (NIV)

“Now Saul’s uncle asked him and his servant, “Where have you been?” “Looking for the donkeys,” he said. “But when we saw they were not to be found, we went to Samuel.” 15 Saul’s uncle said, “Tell me what Samuel said to you.” 16 Saul replied, “He assured us that the donkeys had been found.” But he did not tell his uncle what Samuel had said about the kingship”

It is very important to learn how to respond to non-believers when they ask questions concerning the secrets of the kingdom of God which are very difficult to understand on their part. We learn that Saul concealed some information from his uncle particularly that concerning kingship (vv. 16). There are some personal spiritual things you must keep for yourself; for they are secrets of the kingdom that a carnal person may not understand, especially prophesies.

When God anoints you, He brings you people to follow and support you - that is true ministry where God touches people’s hearts. However, you must also be ready to stand the challenges of people who might despise and speak against you; for it is rewarding to keep silent and hold your peace as long as God is for you and on your side. 1 Samuel 10:26-27 (ESV) says;

“Saul also went to his home at Gibeah, and with him went men of valor whose hearts God had touched. 27 But some worthless fellows said, “How can this man save us?” And they despised him and brought him no present. But he held his peace”

For when the Spirit of God comes upon you, your life will never be the same

 

OBEDIENTLY FOLLOW THE UPRIGHT EXAMPLE - SAMUEL AND SAUL

Pr. James Victor Lubwama

The failure of the ministry of the sons of Eli – blaspheming God, led to the rise of Samuel. God looked out for someone to use and serve Him, and He chose to raise Samuel. This goes a long way to show that whenever you fail to do what God expects of you, you pave way for someone else to be uplifted in your position. The Bible says in 2 Chronicles 16:9 (NLT) that;  

“The eyes of the LORD search the whole earth in order to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him.”

When Eli became of age, he appointed his sons to perform priestly duties in the house of God. It would have been wise for Eli to first go back and consult with the Lord but I do not think he did this. It is important to note that in the kingdom of God, it takes divine appointment for one to start ministering. You need to wait for God to give you direction because it is God who appoints someone for ministry not your wisdom or instincts.

When God decided that Samuel was going to become a prophet, He spoke about the death of Eli and his sons; who died on the same day, and by the time of their death, Samuel had already started getting spiritual insight and after their passing he ruled over Israel (1 Sam 4:12-22). 

      

Deal With Generational Recurrences  

Both Eli and Samuel had the same problem – unruly and disobedient children who regardless of upright examples set by their fathers of living a righteous life and being faithful, they deliberately chose to go the opposite direction (1 Samuel 2). Though Eli and Samuel lived their entire lives dedicated to serving God, their sons did not.

Eli's two sons, Phinehas and Hophni, were priests who committed evil deeds of greed and immorality. They had no fears about committing these deeds in the tabernacle, the house of worship. One could not accuse them of hypocrisy as they made no attempt to cover up their lifestyle and Eli did not restrain them at all. 1 Samuel 3:12-14 (ESV) says;

”On that day I will fulfill against Eli all that I have spoken concerning his house, from beginning to end. 13 And I declare to him that I am about to punish his house forever, for the iniquity that he knew, because his sons were blaspheming God, and he did not restrain them. 14 Therefore I swear to the house of Eli that the iniquity of Eli's house shall not be atoned for by sacrifice or offering forever.”

On the other hand, Samuel’s sons - Joel and Abijah were appointed judges, but when he grew old, his sons turned aside and began accepting bribes to pervert the course of justice. 1 Samuel 8:1-3 (NIV) says;

“When Samuel grew old, he appointed his sons as judges for Israel. 2 The name of his firstborn was Joel and the name of his second was Abijah, and they served at Beersheba. 3 But his sons did not walk in his ways. They turned aside after dishonest gain and accepted bribes and perverted justice.

You need to know that evil spirits that cause bad events to occur over and over again do not grow faint or die. And if you do not want to see devious generational events reoccur in your life and family, whenever you go in the presence of the Lord, wage spiritual warfare and stop the old habits from happening again – close the doors of the past. 

       

Follow the Upright Example

1 Samuel 3:1 (ESV)

”Now the young man Samuel was ministering to the LORD under Eli”.

The two sons of Eli – Hophni and Phinehas did not follow the righteous example set by their father, but Samuel followed it and walked in the ways of the Lord, and thus his life turned out so well. He grew up in a home with crooked mannered children but amazingly, he chose not to be like them. In the same way, you can be in an organization with wildly behaved colleagues but not adopt their behaviour - it’s a matter of choice

If we are to bring Eli’s family to the church level, we note that in church, there are two types of Christians – the Phinehases and Samuels (1 Sam 2:12-36). The Samuels are obedient and always ministering to the Lord under His servants, while the Phinehases are unruly type vested in wicked dealings. 1 Samuel 2:12 (AMP) says;

”The sons of Eli [Hophni and Phinehas] were worthless (dishonourable, unprincipled) men, they did not know [nor respect] the LORD” 

You can choose to follow the upright example and turn out as a Samuel, and not as the worthless Phinehas!

    

Displeased And Confused? Seek Guidance

1 Samuel 8:6 (NLT)

“Samuel was displeased with their request and went to the Lord for guidance”

Because of the behavior of Samuel’s sons, the elders of Israel went with a request to Samuel. They wanted him to put his sons aside and appoint a king to rule over them and also judge them. This really shocked God because He was their King and used to choose the leaders (1 Samuel 8:1-4)

When they made this request, Samuel was displeased, so he prayed and sought guidance from God. God gave Samuel a go-ahead to give the Israelites a king (1 Samuel 8:6-10). This should teach us that before we make fundamental decisions, we should pray and seek the will of the God first. If you want to avoid struggling and setbacks in life, always seek guidance from God.

The elders would have first inquired from the prophet but they instead just ordered Samuel. God accepted and granted their request but also warned them about the hardships ahead, however, they were stubborn and refused to adhere to the warnings (1 Samuel 8:10-19). In the same way, there are times when we persist and ask God for something, but when He delays, we devise other means and get it. But in the end, it causes you a lot of suffering, losses and disputes. Why? Because it wasn’t His will or right time

    

Obedience Is Better Than Sacrifice

Saul was a carnal king. He never obeyed instructions and always did things according to his will. We see Samuel giving him instructions from the Lord in 1 Samuel 15:1-3 (NIV)

Samuel said to Saul, “I am the one the Lord sent to anoint you king over his people Israel; so listen now to the message from the Lord. 2 This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘I will punish the Amalekites for what they did to Israel when they waylaid them as they came up from Egypt. 3 Now go, attack the Amalekites and totally destroy all that belongs to them. Do not spare them; put to death men and women, children and infants, cattle and sheep, camels and donkeys.”

The Lord instructed Saul to kill all the Amalekites starting from the king to the least person in the kingdom. He had given him a heavenly army that was going to fool Amalekites so that the army of Israel slays them with ease. However, in 1 Samuel 15:9 (NKJV) the bible says that;

“But Saul and the people spared Agag and the best of the sheep, the oxen, the fatlings, the lambs, and all that was good, and were unwilling to utterly destroy them. But everything despised and worthless, that they utterly destroyed.”

Saul failed to do as God had commanded him to do. So God went back to Samuel. God told Prophet that He regretted having chosen Saul as king. Sometimes God can regret why He blessed you if you fail to follow His commands, especially when you selfishly utilize the blessing He gave you. And Saul boldly lied to Samuel that he had followed God’s commands yet he hadn’t. When Samuel asked him about the sounds of animals he was hearing, Saul responded that he had brought them from the Amalekites to offer them as a sacrifice to the Lord (1 Samuel 15:14-15)

As a Christian you should know that, God does not only delight in offerings. I am talking about those who do prostitution, embezzle project funds and offer it to church or ministry. God does not desire your money because it is full of filth. What Saul did was in despise of God. All the things Saul spared, God had not asked for them but he thought that because they were good, they would be offered to God. I want to tell you that, God is not amused by sacrifices but obedience to his commands. You can offer Shs10,000/- to the Lord and you delight Him rather than offering 10 million that you embezzled.

Some people think that God works because of their offerings but even when you do not sacrifice but obey and do what God expects of you, he will bless you. Samuel asked Saul in 1 Samuel 15:22 (NKJV) that;

 “Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed than the fat of rams.

God can reject big offerings or sacrifices because they are coming from wrong hands or they have been offered with the wrong motive. Most people do not obey, because they do not listen, and others can’t hear because the Holy Spirit departed from them. The Holy Spirit is with you provided you obey and heed to Him. Many times people walk in sacrifice forgetting that at times God is not interested in your sacrifice; when all He wants is that you obey His commands. God is more pleased interested in obedience than offerings.

  

Demerits Of Rebellion And Stubbornness

1 Samuel 15:23 (NKJV)

“For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, He also has rejected you from being king.”

In the church today, we are guided by the Holy Spirit but because of personal reasons, pride or stubbornness, some people don’t obey – they rebel against God. When you do this, you will have committed a sin of witchcraft

Some of you are ignorant of the curse you might get from rebelling against God, your parents and pastors. Rebelling can seem fun but be aware that it brings a curse upon your life. So many people have caused trouble to themselves because they are stubborn and also have a rebellious spirit.  Rebellious people are habitually proud - this was the same attitude that Saul had when he stubbornly decided to spare what God had told him to destroy.

Good ideas emanate from the mouth of God - Holy Spirit and His servants. Whenever you want to do the will of God, always seek guidance from the Holy Spirit and the servants of God. Everything must be started by God and Him alone – Alpha and Omega. If it is fasting, let it be started by the Holy Spirit; let Him lead and you follow. Today will not be the same as tomorrow. I might have prepared a particular topic to preach about, but if God decides otherwise, I do as instructed and change. Obey God’s voice rather than deciding to follow your own plan.

THE CONSEQUENCE OF PRIDE - LESSONS FROM SAUL

Pr. James Victor Lubwama

Proverbs 16:18 (ESV)

“Pride goes before destruction,

And a haughty spirit before a fall”

By God’s instruction, Samuel anointed Saul king over Israel. (1 Samuel 10:1). After he had been anointed, Samuel told Saul to go ahead of him to Gilgal and wait for seven days so that he would come and offer the burnt offering. 1 Samuel 10:8 (NIV) says; 

“Go down ahead of me to Gilgal. I will surely come down to you to sacrifice burnt offerings and fellowship offerings, but you must wait seven days until I come to you and tell you what you are to do”

Saul Plays Priest - The Unlawful Sacrifice

When seven days ended, Saul committed a fatal mistake before God when he played the role of a priest and burnt the offering himself because of what he felt was a delayed arrival by Samuel. 1 Samuel 13:8-9 (NIV) says; 

“He waited seven days, the time set by Samuel; but Samuel did not come to Gilgal, and Saul’s men began to scatter. 9 So he said, “Bring me the burnt offering and the fellowship offerings.” And Saul offered up the burnt offering”

You cannot play a priestly role just because you are a king. The results cannot be the same when Christians not called choose to perform the priestly functions. Why? Because the hand of God for that office is not upon them. It is God who calls and anoints people in different ministries; and if He has not called you, He cannot use you. Saul did not respect the office of the prophet who was anointed and called of God.

Pride made Saul perform a priestly function even when the servant of God told him to wait for him for a specified number of days. Even in the church today, the priestly office has been trampled over and some people have become like Saul. For example some people anoint the sick without being sent; and some allocate the tithe to the needy without taking it to church yet God requires us according to Malachi 3:10 (GNT) to;

 “Bring the full amount of your tithes to the Temple, so that there will be plenty of food there”.

Additionally some people have started prayer altars without the knowledge of their spiritual parents, which eventually grow into fellowships and then into churches without God’s covenant in place. 

Sometimes we need to be a little patient for the men of God to come because immediately after Saul offered a sacrifice, Samuel arrived. 1 Samuel 13:10-12 (NIV) says;
“Just as he finished making the offering, Samuel arrived, and Saul went out to greet him. 11 “What have you done?” asked Samuel. Saul replied, “When I saw that the men were scattering, and that you did not come at the set time, and that the Philistines were assembling at Mikmash, 12 I thought, “Now the Philistines will come down against me at Gilgal, and I have not sought the Lord’s favor.” So I felt compelled to offer the burnt offering”

Saul is Rejected by God

We later see that the Holy Spirit had already revealed to Samuel what Saul had done in his absence. Saul lost the favor of Samuel and of the Lord, which made him lose his crown. 1 Samuel 13:13-14 (NIV) says;
“You have done a foolish thing,” Samuel said. “You have not kept the command the Lord your God gave you; if you had, he would have established your kingdom over Israel for all time. 14 But now your kingdom will not endure; the Lord has sought out a man after his own heart and appointed him ruler of his people because you have not kept the Lord’s command”

Again, here we learn that if you fail to follow God’s commandments, instructions, and statutes, God will appoint another person in your place. Rightly, so God appointed a man after his own heart who followed God’s charges, laws, and statutes. God is looking for a man who would hear the Holy Spirit’s voice and do exactly as commanded. 
Christians need to directly download from the Holy Spirit and do exactly what the Holy Spirit says without any speculation and compromise. Some people have planned for God without first hearing from the Holy Spirit and God has hence rejected them. If you want to see God’s work in your life, you must have a relationship with the Holy Spirit who is the heart of God. Saul did not have an element of always inquiring from the Lord or His servants.

Because of pride, Saul disobeyed God and lost favor with Him. And we know from the bible that; pride goes precedes a disaster, and an arrogant attitude precedes a fall - Proverbs 16:18 (GW). In order to maintain favor with God and people, you need to kill pride; and in order to do this, you need to be able to identify pride. Pride manifests itself in many ways, and there are many facets of it to look out for.

25 Characteristics of Pride

1) If you cannot submit yourself to a higher authority.

2) If you find it difficult to accept corrections.

3) If you are too big to say sorry.

4) If you think that your success or achievements are based on your efforts.

5) If you do not have respect for people.

6) If you always feel superior to others.

7) If you want to always control and dominate others.

8) If you think that you are better than other people are.

9) If you cannot work under people with lesser qualifications.

10) If you always want people to bow down to you.

11) If you want people to notice you wherever you go.

12) If you are a graduate and feel too big to do any small job.

13) If you cannot marry those with lesser qualifications.

14) Always angry with those who correct you.

15) If you avoid those who criticize you.

16) If you feel too big to learn.

17)  If you feel ashamed to ask questions about what you do not know.

18) When you're always bragging about your achievements or connections.

19) If you do not consider it necessary to recognize those who helped you.

20) If one has competition.

21) If you think nobody knows more than you do.

22)  If you think you cannot make mistakes.

23) If you are fond of blaming others for your actions.

24) When you look at those who helped you to the top as nothing.

25) If you consider your country, race, tribe and family better than others.

It was because of pride that Saul failed to have a heart like God’s and thus led to his downfall. There is a reason that God hates pride (Proverbs 6:16). As C.S Lewis says; “it was through pride that the devil became the devil; pride leads to every other vice, it is the complete anti-God state of mind.” A proud person will reject God’s will every time it conflicts with his own desire; a proud person cannot love others more than himself, in fact he will only serve someone else if it feeds his own ego or interests. 

It is very important for us as Christians to discover the elements of pride and deal with them with the help of the Holy Spirit through repentance and prayer. 

SPIRITUAL DELIVERANCE – COMING OUT OF THE HOUSE OF BONDAGE

Pr. James Victor Lubwama

Judges 6:7-9 (NKJV)

“And it came to pass, when the children of Israel cried unto the LORD because of the Midianites, 8 that the LORD sent a prophet to the children of Israel, who said to them, “Thus says the LORD God of Israel:’ I brought you up from Egypt, and brought you out of the house of bondage; 9 and I delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians and out of the hand of all who oppressed you, and drove them out from before you and gave you their land”

There are three stages of salvation and spiritual deliverance that are closely linked to the journey of the Israelites from a life of bondage in Egypt to the promised land in Canaan. This is typical of the salvation journey from a new convert to spiritually mature Christian, and involves the stages below: 

Up from Egypt – Confessing Christ

Romans 10:9 (ESV)

“If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”

God brought the Israelites up from Egypt. This action of coming up from their bondage is where someone has just confessed Christ and is newly born-again – has confessed Christ as their Lord and Saviour. Thus one has crossed over, started the salvation journey but is not yet fully delivered.

The reason why God performs miracles is to take people from captivity to freedom. We read that the disciples “went out and preached everywhere, and the Lord worked with them and confirmed his word by the signs that accompanied it” - Mark 16:20 (NIV). 
These and more were some of the wondrous works God did and still does in order to draw people to Him, and thus many confess Christ because of the miracles they witness in their lives and in the lives of others. So in order to come out of bondage - Egypt, you need to first accept and confess Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour and become born-again (John 3:5). 

The Exodus – Detach Self From the World

2 Corinthians 6:17 (NLT)

“Therefore, come out from among unbelievers, and separate yourselves from them, says the LORD. Don’t touch their filthy things, and I will welcome you”

God brought the Israelites out of the house of bondage, which means quitting that family or group of people who do not believe what you now believe; and also emptying one’s heart of the old nature, thoughts and ways - Egypt. When you accept Christ as your Lord and Saviour, you also need to let go of things, behaviour, customs and practices that are unacceptable to Him. Any extra worldly baggage and deceitful distraction will take your eyes off Jesus. Paul puts it right very well in Hebrews 12:1-2 (NIV) that;

“Let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, 2 fixing our eyes on Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of faith.”

The journey of getting someone out from the house of bondage is one of the greatest battles in Christianity. A Christian may have accepted Christ and fellowships or congregates but still in bondage in his or her heart. During the Exodus many disobeyed and rejected Moses and preferred to return to Egypt. We read in the book of Acts 7:39 (NIV) that;

“But our ancestors refused to obey him. Instead, they rejected him and in their hearts turned back to Egypt."

It is very easy to leave Egypt outwardly but return back to Egypt inwardly because bondage is the captivity of the mind. A little challenge or setback makes one grumble and even draws their heart and mind back to the world. In a small crisis such weak-hearted people refer back to “life in Egypt” saying things like; “remember the fish we ate in Egypt at no cost” (Numbers 11:5-6). We see this when the Jews had just left Egypt and were hungry – they had left Egypt but Egypt was still in their hearts and mind. Exodus 16:2-3 (NIV) narrates;

“In the desert the whole community grumbled against Moses and Aaron. 3 The Israelites said to them, “If only we had died by the Lord’s hand in Egypt! There we sat around pots of meat and ate all the food we wanted, but you have brought us out into this desert to starve this entire assembly to death.”

One of the reasons we do not see the breakthrough is because we are still mentally stuck in the world. Most of us are still struggling with ungodly habits like sexual immorality, alcoholism, pride, bitterness etc. You still draw or have bad mental pictures in your mind or still in possession evil charms. If you are still in the house of bondage, you commit the same sin repeatedly and repent of it repeatedly; and when you are still bound in the mind, even during rapture you will not be taken because you will not be in right standing with God and too heavy to be uplifted.

It is important to make sure that we do not practice Christianity outwardly but inwardly as well and be transformed from the inside-out so as to do the will of God. Romans 12:2 (GNT) says;

“Do not conform yourselves to the standards of this world, but let God transform you inwardly by a complete change of your mind. Then you will be able to know the will of God–what is good and is pleasing to him and is perfect.”  

Out of Bondage – Delivered From the Tormentor

Coming out of the house of bondage is not a one-off event, but rather a process, which involves sitting at the feet of Jesus to receive the good portion, regularly attending fellowship to learn the word, how to pray and grow spiritually, submitting to the servants of God and transference of the anointing by association. You will easily be delivered and transformed if you belong to a local church and submit under an anointed servant of God – spiritual parent. This is where someone learns the word, has a revelation of the mysteries of the kingdom and the word. Deliverance is a process, and moves hand in hand with knowledge about God – as you go deeper into knowing God and His ways - truth, He sets you free. The bible says in John 8:32 (AMP);

“And you will know the truth [regarding salvation] and the truth will set you free”

He delivered them out of the hand of the Egyptians, which means being delivered from the tormentor – evil spirits or demons and all power of darkness. If the second step is well done, then the third one is easy to execute. If someone has let off the worldly behaviour and thinking, has learnt the word and has self-control, then deliverance is comprehensive. The church today should endeavor to move out of the house of bondage by abandoning worldly systems and compromise, and embrace heavenly systems, and be filled and guided by the Holy Spirit; for without the Holy Spirit, it is impossible to know and do the will of God

Leaving Egypt – the world is a mark of spiritual maturity and authentic Christianity – you have let go of the world systems, ways, beliefs and lifestyle and no longer conform to its standards and Christ is magnified in your life. Such a believer is content in all situations and has robust faith and thus delivered and free indeed. 

The Anointing Breaks The Yoke

Isaiah 10:27 (NKJV) says;

 “And it shall come to pass in that day, that his burden shall be taken away from off thy shoulder, and his yoke from off thy neck, and the yoke shall be destroyed because of the anointing”

The solution or answer to all bondage is the anointing – for the anointing destroys the yoke. The anointing comes from Christ, who is the head of the church, runs down to the five-fold ministries - priests, and then flows to the congregation. The flow of the anointing is devotionaly explained in Psalm 133:2 (AMP) which says;

“It is like precious oil poured [of consecration] poured on the head, coming down on the beard, even the beard of Aaron, coming down upon the edge of his [priestly] robes [consecrating the whole body]”

You need to sit at the feet of the servant of God and be taught such that the anointing upon them will flow down and break the yoke upon you. The anointing works by association, which means that you must serve and submit to the servant of God. It is therefore very important to be filled with the Holy Spirit who is the source of the anointing and can ably take you out of the house of bondage and into a life of liberty.

OBEDIENCE, BLESSINGS AND RIGHT PLACE - LESSONS FROM ISAAC

Pr. James Victor Lubwama

As Christians, we should be mindful of the events that reoccur in our lives. Famine was so severe in the days of Isaac just like it was in the days of Abraham, his father. Genesis 26:1 (NIV) says; 
“Now there was a famine in the land—besides the previous famine in Abraham’s time—and Isaac went to Abimelek king of the Philistines in Gerar”

Abraham also lied about Sarah being his wife when he visited Abimelek king (Genesis 20:2). The same events unfolded when Isaac lived in Gerar due to famine; when some people admired his wife, he claimed she was his sister. Genesis 26:6-7 (NIV) says; 
“So Isaac stayed in Gerar. 7 When the men of that place asked him about his wife, he said, “She is my sister,” because he was afraid to say, “She is my wife.” He thought, “The men of this place might kill me on account of Rebekah, because she is beautiful”

• We see that there was famine in Isaac’s time just like it was in his father’s time
• We also see that some people admired Isaac’s wife and he did exactly what his Father did
• We also see that both Sarah and Rebekah delayed to give birth to children; they were barren and only prayer and God’s intervention brought children.

Close The Doors Of The Past

The events that happened in the lives our parents or descendants usually repeat themselves and so we should be diligent. It is relevant to study and analyse the lives of your descendants and find out any negative events that keep occurring, and close those doors. These might be failure and limitation in some aspects of your life which are similar to that of your father, mother, or grandparents, and they may include; marriage failure, divorce, low levels of education, not being promoted at the work place, struggling financially, chronic diseases in the family etc. However, through prayer, those doors can be closed. You have power over those situations because the Holy Spirit lives in you; so you can uproot and bind them  (Mathew 15:13;  18:18); and by God’s power, your family and the future generation will be set free because Christ makes us unquestionably free (John 8:6)

We thank God because through Christ, we have been set free by the blood of Jesus we can be free and live abundantly. By accepting Jesus as our personal Savior we became temples of the Holy Spirit; for the Holy Spirit is the anointing that breaks yokes, sets us free and makes us new creatures. Isaiah 10:27 (KJV) says;
"And it shall come to pass in that day, that his burden shall be taken away from off thy shoulder, and his yoke from off thy neck, and the yoke shall be destroyed because of the anointing."

Go Where GOD Tells You

Genesis 26:2-3 (NIV)

“Do not go down to Egypt; live in the land where I tell you to live. 3 Stay in this land for a while, and I will be with you and will bless you. For to you and your descendants I will give all these lands and will confirm the oath I swore to your father Abraham”

During the famine, God told Isaac not to go to Egypt as a coping mechanism - Egypt represents the world systems. There is always an answer in the world during famine or insufficiencies but the problem is that those answers or solutions usually come with strings attached. God has a ministry for disaster preparedness and is always ready to rescue you in case of trouble. God told Isaac to dwell in the land of Gerar and promised to be with him, bless him and honor the covenant of His father Abraham. This means that if you want an encounter with God, you need to have a spiritual parent who has a covenant with God -  a spiritual father or mother that God leads you to and it is through this spiritual family that you can partake of the covenant and be blessed

There is always a world that God wants to show you; if He is the one that sent you there, then He will prosper you from there. But the question is, are you where God told you to be? Are you doing what God told you to do? God knew us before we were born and predestined where we should be for His own purpose (Jeremiah 1:5); and If you are in the right place, God will provide for you and bless you.

As Christians, we ought to hear the voice of the Holy Spirit, be in the right place, do what God demands from us, and keep His commands if we are to live an abundant life. The problem we have today is that some Christians do not have a relationship with the Holy Spirit and thus do not hear His voice and hence do not do God’s will; there are also others that have heard His voice but excuses have kept them from obedience, and thus rebelled yet rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft (1 Samuel 15:23).

We see that because of Abraham’s obedience, Isaac was blessed and prospered because of the covenant God made with his father (Genesis 12). Abraham was obedient to God; he listened to the voice of God, was in a place where God expected him, was submissive and strictly observed God’s commands, and thus his blessing followed his children and their children. Genesis 26:5 (AMP) says;

“For Abraham listened to and obeyed My voice and kept My charge, My commands, My statutes, and My laws” 

With Prosperity Comes Enmity

Genesis 26:12-16 (NIV)

“Isaac planted crops in that land and the same year reaped a hundredfold, because the Lord blessed him.  13 The man became rich, and his wealth continued to grow until he became very wealthy.  14 He had so many flocks and herds and servants that the Philistines envied him. 15 So all the wells that his father’s servants had dug in the time of his father Abraham, the Philistines stopped up, filling them with earth. 16 Then King Abimelek said to Isaac, “Move away from us; you have become too powerful for us”

When God blesses you and you prosper, it attracts jealousy from people around you.  Every new level attracts a new devil - at every new level of success, there is a new devil that rises up.  Because God was with Isaac, he prospered and became so wealthy and, thus the Philistines envied him to the extent that they filled the wells his father had dug with soil so that his flock could lack water and die. The envy was too much to the extent that even King Abimelek himself told Isaac to depart from their land

It is very important to fight the forces fighting us at our places of work because jobs are the wells that God has given us for our provision. Satan knows that a well is a source of provision, and so he works hard to destroy it. More importantly as Christians, we should dig our own wells - meaning we should create jobs to supplement our salary jobs but also to be a source of security and a fallback position, so that in case the enemy fills one with soil, there is an alternative. After Isaac had moved, he reopened the wells. Genesis 26:17-18 (AMP) says;

“So Isaac left that region and camped in the valley of Gerar, and settled there. 18 Now Isaac again dug [and reopened] the wells of water which had been dug in the days of Abraham his father, because the Philistines had filled them up [with dirt]” 

God Speaks From the Right Place

Genesis 26:23-24 (NIV)

“From there he went up to Beersheba. 24 That night the Lord appeared to him and said, “I am the God of your father Abraham. Do not be afraid, for I am with you; I will bless you and will increase the number of your descendants for the sake of my servant Abraham”

From the Valley of Gerar, we see that Isaac decided to move to Beersheba where his father also lived. Beersheba was a right place for Isaac to be because while there God appeared to him and told him not to fear, and promised to bless him and honor the covenant of his father. It is important for you to go to Beersheba - that place which is covenanted and where your spiritual parent is; it is the church where God can appear to you and activate the covenant he made with his servants.

And when God blesses you and you prosper, it will cause your enemies to look for you and want to work with you because of the blessing upon your life. In the end those who mistreated and rejected you will look for you when God raises you from the dust to the throne of honour – for when God blesses you, even your enemies will bow down before you. Genesis 26: 26-29 (NIV) says;

“Meanwhile, Abimelek had come to him from Gerar, with Ahuzzath his personal adviser and Phicol the commander of his forces.  27 Isaac asked them, “Why have you come to me, since you were hostile to me and sent me away?” 28 They answered, “We saw clearly that the Lord was with you; so we said, ‘There ought to be a sworn agreement between us’—between us and you. Let us make a treaty with you 29 that you will do us no harm, just as we did not harm you but always treated you well and sent you away peacefully. And now you are blessed by the Lord”.

Let us therefore have faith in God, listen and submit to His voice, and strictly observe and obey His commands. Additionally, keep your relationship with the Holy Spirit burning, and no matter where you go, if God sends you there and is with you, He will abundantly bless you and you will prosper.